Adirondack Daily Enterprise,
November 13, 2018Born: November 10, 1928
Died: November 11, 2018
Married: Rita Martin
Step-Children: Debra Wonderly
Edward Mark Tucker's mother was Flora Louise Hobart Tucker. Mark delivered carrots to the Saranac lab from his farm for the rabbits. He grew up on the family farm at Tucker Farms. They sold their products mostly in Saranac Lake. His uncle sold a lot of spinach in New York City. One summer they sold a ton of it. It was fresh spinach in wooden bushel baskets packed around ice in the center. They shipped out 24,000 bushels to markets and restaurants in New York City. The two kids helped pick it and hand wash it in wire baskets. It would dry on a drainage rack. Mark and his uncle Hobart and Tom Norman all worked together (three different farms came together to work on the spinach). Mark would put it into the bushel baskets with ice and then store it in the ice coolers on the farm. They had 10,000 cakes of ice in the ice house— which was the barn by the corn maze today. They cut the ice from Osgood Pond. Back then spinach was a good crop because it couldn't grow well in warmer places. Now they have varieties that grow well in warm weather and don't bolt (send up shoots in the heat).
Mark's mother's father was Henry Hobart. He wanted to sell and farm in Oregon, but the farm was deeded to him not to sell, so he stayed. He delivered to the camps on the St. Regis Lakes.
Farming today at Tucker Farms—they grow mostly the same things, but using different methods.
Today, Tucker Farms includes the land that was formerly Hobart Farm (Tucker and Hobart merged when Frank Hobart died). It is about 500 acres (200 tillable) including 4 houses.
Mark's father grew up in the Alderbrook section, where the Irish were. Father Richard O'Donnell had a creamery there.
Information provided by Edward (Mark) Tucker in the winter of 2012.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, November 13, 2018
Edward Mark Tucker, 90, of Gabriels, died Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, at his home.
Born in Brighton on Nov. 10, 1928, he was the son of Joseph and Flora (Hobart) Tucker. Mark married Rita Martin on Jan. 7, 1977, at Church of the Assumption in Gabriels.
Mr. Tucker is a lifelong resident of Gabriels, where he owned and operated the Tucker Farms Inc. with his brother Don for over 40 years until his retirement in 1985. Mr. Tucker had wintered in Zephyrhills, Florida, for many years.
He is survived by his stepdaughter Debra Wonderly of Gabriels, step-granddaughter Michelle Shanty of Lake Placid and several nephews: Richard E. Tucker of Niskayuna, Steven A. Tucker of Gabriels, James A. Tucker (Michele) of Gabriels and Thomas D. Tucker of Gabriels. He was preceded in death by his wife Rita and one brother, Don Tucker.
Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15 at Church of the Assumption in Gabriels. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Gabriels.
Friends wishing to remember Edward Mark Tucker may make memorial contributions to Adirondack Council Boy Scouts of America in care of the funeral home. Family and friends can also share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.
